Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Saturday that storms and subsequent floods that have inundated Europe are "without doubt" the result of climate change. Germany and Belgium are the worst-hit countries but several towns on southern Netherlands have suffered damage due to floods as well.

No deaths have been reported in the Netherlands. Germany has not been so lucky and accounts for most of the 150+ deaths that have been recorded till now.

Rutte was visiting the Netherlands' southern province of Limburg on Friday (local time) when he held Global Warming responsible for the deadly floods. He said that was "without a doubt the case".

"I don't want to make hasty declarations," he said. "But something is really happening, let's be clear."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-fatal-flooding-in-western-germany-398443">In Pics | Fatal flooding in Western Germany</a> 
 
ANP news agency reported that more than one million Euros had been collected for a fund to help worst-hit areas in the Netherlands

To stop any future flood disasters, "the first thing to do, and fortunately we are doing it in the Netherlands, is to give space to rivers", Rutte said.

The Dutch reshaped the areas around rivers in the country after major flooding in 1993 and 1995 when 250,000 people and one million animals had to be evacuated.

More than two billion euros was invested to widen riverbanks. The project was completed in 2019.

(With inputs from agencies)

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Saturday that storms and subsequent floods that have inundated Europe are "without doubt" the result of climate change. Germany and Belgium are the worst-hit countries but several towns on southern Netherlands have suffered damage due to floods as well.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Saturday that storms and subsequent floods that have inundated Europe are "without doubt" the result of climate change. Germany and Belgium are the worst-hit countries but several towns on southern Netherlands have suffered damage due to floods as well. No deaths have been reported in the Netherlands. Germany has not been so lucky and accounts for most of the 150+ deaths that have been recorded till now. Rutte was visiting the Netherlands' southern province of Limburg on Friday (local time) when he held Global Warming responsible for the deadly floods. He said that was "without a doubt the case". "I don't want to make hasty declarations," he said. "But something is really happening, let's be clear." In Pics | Fatal flooding in Western Germany ANP news agency reported that more than one million Euros had been collected for a fund to help worst-hit areas in the Netherlands To stop any future flood disasters, "the first thing to do, and fortunately we are doing it in the Netherlands, is to give space to rivers", Rutte said. The Dutch reshaped the areas around rivers in the country after major flooding in 1993 and 1995 when 250,000 people and one million animals had to be evacuated. More than two billion euros was invested to widen riverbanks. The project was completed in 2019. (With inputs from agencies)

Climate Change responsible for Europe floods, says Dutch PM

Russia on Friday said that it wanted to help kickstart peace talks between warring sides in Afghanistan. This has come after fierce clashes between Afghan forces and the Taliban near Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Talibam seized the border area on Wednesday. It is the second-largest crossing on Pakistan border. This is one of the most important objectives the Taliban have achieved

"I would like to confirm Russia's interest in facilitating dialogue between Afghanistan's warring sides with the aim of ending the years-long war and establishing Afghanistan as a peaceful, independent and neutral state," Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. He was speaking at a conference with senior Central Asian officials in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.

Rapid US exit from Afghanistan can be a security headache for Russia. It fears that spiralling fighting in Afghanistan may push refugees into its Central Asian backyard and destabilise its southern defensive flank.

Russian officials have previously called on all sides of the Afghanistan conflict to show restraint and said that Russia and the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) military bloc will act decisively to prevent aggression on Tajikistan's border with Afghanistan if needed.

Russia on Wednesday urged Afghan officials to launch proper negotiations with the Taliban about the country's future before it was too late.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russia on Friday said that it wanted to help kickstart peace talks between warring sides in Afghanistan. This has come after fierce clashes between Afghan forces and the Taliban near Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

Russia on Friday said that it wanted to help kickstart peace talks between warring sides in Afghanistan. This has come after fierce clashes between Afghan forces and the Taliban near Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Talibam seized the border area on Wednesday. It is the second-largest crossing on Pakistan border. This is one of the most important objectives the Taliban have achieved "I would like to confirm Russia's interest in facilitating dialogue between Afghanistan's warring sides with the aim of ending the years-long war and establishing Afghanistan as a peaceful, independent and neutral state," Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. He was speaking at a conference with senior Central Asian officials in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. Rapid US exit from Afghanistan can be a security headache for Russia. It fears that spiralling fighting in Afghanistan may push refugees into its Central Asian backyard and destabilise its southern defensive flank. Russian officials have previously called on all sides of the Afghanistan conflict to show restraint and said that Russia and the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) military bloc will act decisively to prevent aggression on Tajikistan's border with Afghanistan if needed. Russia on Wednesday urged Afghan officials to launch proper negotiations with the Taliban about the country's future before it was too late. (With inputs from agencies)

Want to help start Afghan peace talks: Russia

Pope Francis took a significant step toward putting the Roman Catholic Church’s liturgy solidly on the side of modernization Friday by cracking down on the use of the old Latin Mass, essentially reversing a decision by his conservative predecessor.

The move also dealt a blow to church conservatives who have long complained that the pope is diluting the traditions of the church.

Francis, in a papal Motu Proprio — or a document issued under the pope’s own legal authority — placed new restrictions on where the traditional Latin Mass can be celebrated, who can celebrate it and requiring new permissions from local bishops for its use.

Those hurdles made it clear that Francis believes that champions of the old Latin Mass are exploiting it to oppose more recent church reforms and to divide the church. Since the 1960s, the church has used a more modern and vernacular liturgical book to make the faith more accessible to the faithful.

Beyond the so-called Liturgy wars of the church, Francis’ new law also perhaps served as an answer to questions about whether his recent health scare would slow him down, or speed up his upheavals in the church.

Francis was released from the hospital after colon surgery Wednesday. The new law, dated July 16 and issued at Saint John Lateran in Rome, sends a strong sign that Francis, who has repeatedly noted his awareness that he will lead the church for only a finite time, intends to make his changes stick.

Francis’ predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, had relaxed the restrictions on the old Latin Mass, also called the Tridentine Mass, in 2007. It was a move seen as a microcosm of the church’s shift toward traditionalism during his papacy.

In statements released by the Vatican on Friday, Francis argued that the change, designed to bring unity to the church and bring its most traditionalist and schismatic corners back into the fold, had become a cause of division and a cudgel for conservative opponents of the Second Vatican Council, the major church meetings of the 1960s that ushered in many modernizing reforms.

Francis cited those reforms, especially liturgical rules enacted in 1962 by Pope John XXIII, in explaining his law. Many analysts see Francis’ pontificate as the restoration of those reforms after three decades of leadership by conservative popes who thought they went too far.

Pope Francis took a significant step toward putting the Roman Catholic Church’s liturgy solidly on the side of modernization Friday by cracking down on the use of the old Latin Mass, essentially reversing a decision by his conservative predecessor.

Pope Francis took a significant step toward putting the Roman Catholic Church’s liturgy solidly on the side of modernization Friday by cracking down on the use of the old Latin Mass, essentially reversing a decision by his conservative predecessor. The move also dealt a blow to church conservatives who have long complained that the pope is diluting the traditions of the church. Francis, in a papal Motu Proprio — or a document issued under the pope’s own legal authority — placed new restrictions on where the traditional Latin Mass can be celebrated, who can celebrate it and requiring new permissions from local bishops for its use. Those hurdles made it clear that Francis believes that champions of the old Latin Mass are exploiting it to oppose more recent church reforms and to divide the church. Since the 1960s, the church has used a more modern and vernacular liturgical book to make the faith more accessible to the faithful. Beyond the so-called Liturgy wars of the church, Francis’ new law also perhaps served as an answer to questions about whether his recent health scare would slow him down, or speed up his upheavals in the church. Francis was released from the hospital after colon surgery Wednesday. The new law, dated July 16 and issued at Saint John Lateran in Rome, sends a strong sign that Francis, who has repeatedly noted his awareness that he will lead the church for only a finite time, intends to make his changes stick. Francis’ predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, had relaxed the restrictions on the old Latin Mass, also called the Tridentine Mass, in 2007. It was a move seen as a microcosm of the church’s shift toward traditionalism during his papacy. In statements released by the Vatican on Friday, Francis argued that the change, designed to bring unity to the church and bring its most traditionalist and schismatic corners back into the fold, had become a cause of division and a cudgel for conservative opponents of the Second Vatican Council, the major church meetings of the 1960s that ushered in many modernizing reforms. Francis cited those reforms, especially liturgical rules enacted in 1962 by Pope John XXIII, in explaining his law. Many analysts see Francis’ pontificate as the restoration of those reforms after three decades of leadership by conservative popes who thought they went too far.

Pope restricts use of Old Latin mass, in a blow to Conservatives

Signaling that the U.S.-European alliance remained strong after the tension of the Trump era, President Joe Biden and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany on Thursday stressed their shared values, even as both acknowledged differences on a major Russian pipeline and how best to approach China.

During meetings at the White House, Biden’s agenda included several of his most pressing geopolitical priorities, such as restraining Chinese influence, curbing Russian aggression and waiving intellectual property restrictions on coronavirus vaccine manufacturers.

While there were no apparent breakthroughs, the visit was a way to show a unified front after President Donald Trump’s hostile exchanges with Merkel over NATO contributions, trade and multilateralism badly frayed relations. The meeting also comes before the chancellor’s term ends and a new German government will be sworn in after elections on Sept. 26.

“Good friends can disagree,” said Biden, who appeared alongside Merkel at a news conference in the East Room after the meeting.

For the most part, the trip appeared to be a triumph of the personal over policy. Biden joked that Merkel, who has worked with four U.S. presidents, “knows the Oval Office as well as I do.” The chancellor referred to the president as “dear Joe” several times as she extolled their friendly relationship, which has endured since his time in the Senate.

But the warmth could not cloak the fact that neither leader had shifted from their most substantive areas of disagreement.

Biden said he broached the contentious issue of the $11 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline, a natural gas conduit being built between Germany and Russia that is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The president and his predecessors have assailed the project as little more than a coercive tool against Ukraine and other allies.

“We’ve come to different assessments,” Merkel said of the project.

Biden said the two had agreed that they were “united in our conviction that Russia should not be able to use energy as a weapon.”

The president waived congressional sanctions this year on the Russian company building the pipeline and its German chief executive, effectively conceding that an effort to halt the project was not worth the expected cost to U.S.-German relations.

Merkel kept her comments nonspecific on countering China, whose influence Biden believes poses an existential threat to American democracy.

“There is a lot of common understanding that China in many areas is our competitor,” the chancellor said, careful not to run afoul of Germany’s largest trading partner. She added that “trade with China needs to rest on the assumption that we have a level playing field.”

The two leaders also signaled that they remained apart on their approach to containing the pandemic. Merkel did not commit to the lifting of patents for coronavirus vaccines, and Biden did not raise the issue in front of reporters. Merkel said she had asked the president if his administration would end a travel ban against Europeans, but he did not commit to ending it.

“I did raise the issue,” the chancellor said, “and got the same answer that the president gave you: The COVID team is evaluating the matter.”

Still, the leaders repeatedly emphasized their one-on-one relationship in their public appearances, a sharp divergence from Merkel’s chilly and stilted interactions with Trump, who maligned her as “captive to Russia.” When asked to compare Biden’s leadership style with his predecessor’s, the chancellor was characteristically restrained, emphasizing that she and Biden had a “very friendly exchange.”

“We are not only partners and allies,” Merkel said, “but we are very close friends.”

The president began the event by offering his condolences to Germans for the loss of life and property caused by recent floods. He went on to thank the chancellor for “an exemplary life of groundbreaking service to Germany.”

Biden was asked to confront cases of diplomatic turmoil closer to home, including protests in Cuba and unrest after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse of Haiti. He told a reporter that beyond dispatching Marines to guard the U.S. Embassy there, he was not considering sending U.S. troops.

Addressing a wave of demonstrations across Cuba, Biden accused its government of being a “failed state” that was “repressing their citizens” and said he would not end rules against payments Americans can make to their Cuban relatives because he could not be sure that the government would not take them.

“I would not do that now,” he said, “because the fact is, it is highly likely that the regime would confiscate those remittances, or big chunks.”

The president grew testy when he was asked about his top domestic economic priorities. When asked if he was confident that a $3.5 trillion budget framework drawn up by Democrats would be enough to pass with every Democratic senator on board, Biden chastised the news media as preemptively suggesting that the plan, along with negotiations over an infrastructure deal, was headed for failure.

“I am supremely confident that everything is going to work out perfectly,” he said dryly. “I have watched and listened to the press declare my initiative dead at least 10 times so far. I don’t think it is dead. I think it is still alive.”

Aside from more thorny policy issues, Merkel’s visit was a diplomatic victory lap of sorts before her term expires. She started her day with a cheese soufflé breakfast with Vice President Kamala Harris.

Later in the day, the chancellor received an honorary doctorate from Johns Hopkins University, adding to her collection of degrees from Harvard and Stanford. Once she arrived at the White House, Merkel and the president exchanged compliments in the Oval Office.

Though the exchange was not overly warm, it was leagues more collegial than Merkel’s past meetings in the Oval Office. When she asked Trump in 2017, “Do you want to have a handshake?” Trump apparently did not.

Just as Merkel spent years responding mildly to Trump, she has not always been overeager to accept Biden’s entreaties that the U.S.-German relationship had been restored to a sense of normalcy. During the virtual Munich Security Conference held this year, she said of the U.S. relationship that “our interests will not always converge.”

By the time of the news conference on Thursday, Biden and Merkel seemed more interested in continuing her farewell party than discussing what divided them.

After the news conference, they attended dinner with longtime allies, including Hillary Clinton. Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, the House minority leader, was also scheduled to attend after a trip earlier in the day to see Trump at his golf club in New Jersey.

After the two leaders fielded questions, Biden steered Merkel away from reporters.

“If we don’t leave right now,” he told her, “we are going to miss dinner.”

Signaling that the U.S.-European alliance remained strong after the tension of the Trump era, President Joe Biden and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany on Thursday stressed their shared values, even as both acknowledged differences on a major Russian pipeline and how best to approach China.

Signaling that the U.S.-European alliance remained strong after the tension of the Trump era, President Joe Biden and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany on Thursday stressed their shared values, even as both acknowledged differences on a major Russian pipeline and how best to approach China. During meetings at the White House, Biden’s agenda included several of his most pressing geopolitical priorities, such as restraining Chinese influence, curbing Russian aggression and waiving intellectual property restrictions on coronavirus vaccine manufacturers. While there were no apparent breakthroughs, the visit was a way to show a unified front after President Donald Trump’s hostile exchanges with Merkel over NATO contributions, trade and multilateralism badly frayed relations. The meeting also comes before the chancellor’s term ends and a new German government will be sworn in after elections on Sept. 26. “Good friends can disagree,” said Biden, who appeared alongside Merkel at a news conference in the East Room after the meeting. For the most part, the trip appeared to be a triumph of the personal over policy. Biden joked that Merkel, who has worked with four U.S. presidents, “knows the Oval Office as well as I do.” The chancellor referred to the president as “dear Joe” several times as she extolled their friendly relationship, which has endured since his time in the Senate. But the warmth could not cloak the fact that neither leader had shifted from their most substantive areas of disagreement. Biden said he broached the contentious issue of the $11 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline, a natural gas conduit being built between Germany and Russia that is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The president and his predecessors have assailed the project as little more than a coercive tool against Ukraine and other allies. “We’ve come to different assessments,” Merkel said of the project. Biden said the two had agreed that they were “united in our conviction that Russia should not be able to use energy as a weapon.” The president waived congressional sanctions this year on the Russian company building the pipeline and its German chief executive, effectively conceding that an effort to halt the project was not worth the expected cost to U.S.-German relations. Merkel kept her comments nonspecific on countering China, whose influence Biden believes poses an existential threat to American democracy. “There is a lot of common understanding that China in many areas is our competitor,” the chancellor said, careful not to run afoul of Germany’s largest trading partner. She added that “trade with China needs to rest on the assumption that we have a level playing field.” The two leaders also signaled that they remained apart on their approach to containing the pandemic. Merkel did not commit to the lifting of patents for coronavirus vaccines, and Biden did not raise the issue in front of reporters. Merkel said she had asked the president if his administration would end a travel ban against Europeans, but he did not commit to ending it. “I did raise the issue,” the chancellor said, “and got the same answer that the president gave you: The COVID team is evaluating the matter.” Still, the leaders repeatedly emphasized their one-on-one relationship in their public appearances, a sharp divergence from Merkel’s chilly and stilted interactions with Trump, who maligned her as “captive to Russia.” When asked to compare Biden’s leadership style with his predecessor’s, the chancellor was characteristically restrained, emphasizing that she and Biden had a “very friendly exchange.” “We are not only partners and allies,” Merkel said, “but we are very close friends.” The president began the event by offering his condolences to Germans for the loss of life and property caused by recent floods. He went on to thank the chancellor for “an exemplary life of groundbreaking service to Germany.” Biden was asked to confront cases of diplomatic turmoil closer to home, including protests in Cuba and unrest after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse of Haiti. He told a reporter that beyond dispatching Marines to guard the U.S. Embassy there, he was not considering sending U.S. troops. Addressing a wave of demonstrations across Cuba, Biden accused its government of being a “failed state” that was “repressing their citizens” and said he would not end rules against payments Americans can make to their Cuban relatives because he could not be sure that the government would not take them. “I would not do that now,” he said, “because the fact is, it is highly likely that the regime would confiscate those remittances, or big chunks.” The president grew testy when he was asked about his top domestic economic priorities. When asked if he was confident that a $3.5 trillion budget framework drawn up by Democrats would be enough to pass with every Democratic senator on board, Biden chastised the news media as preemptively suggesting that the plan, along with negotiations over an infrastructure deal, was headed for failure. “I am supremely confident that everything is going to work out perfectly,” he said dryly. “I have watched and listened to the press declare my initiative dead at least 10 times so far. I don’t think it is dead. I think it is still alive.” Aside from more thorny policy issues, Merkel’s visit was a diplomatic victory lap of sorts before her term expires. She started her day with a cheese soufflé breakfast with Vice President Kamala Harris. Later in the day, the chancellor received an honorary doctorate from Johns Hopkins University, adding to her collection of degrees from Harvard and Stanford. Once she arrived at the White House, Merkel and the president exchanged compliments in the Oval Office. Though the exchange was not overly warm, it was leagues more collegial than Merkel’s past meetings in the Oval Office. When she asked Trump in 2017, “Do you want to have a handshake?” Trump apparently did not. Just as Merkel spent years responding mildly to Trump, she has not always been overeager to accept Biden’s entreaties that the U.S.-German relationship had been restored to a sense of normalcy. During the virtual Munich Security Conference held this year, she said of the U.S. relationship that “our interests will not always converge.” By the time of the news conference on Thursday, Biden and Merkel seemed more interested in continuing her farewell party than discussing what divided them. After the news conference, they attended dinner with longtime allies, including Hillary Clinton. Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, the House minority leader, was also scheduled to attend after a trip earlier in the day to see Trump at his golf club in New Jersey. After the two leaders fielded questions, Biden steered Merkel away from reporters. “If we don’t leave right now,” he told her, “we are going to miss dinner.”

Acknowledging disagreements, Biden and Merkel signal warmer US-German ties

Farmers in New Zealand drove tractors in major cities on Friday (July 16) to demand relaxation&nbsp;of environmental policies and climate changeg regulations they say are hurting their businesses.

Demonstrations that took place nationwide were called "Howl of A Protest". The protests saw farmers on busy motorways with their tractors, pick up trucks and other farm vehicles. This caused traffic jams in major cities including Auckland.

Many residents showed solidarity with the farmers by holding placards as the vehicles drove past on the 
streets.

Protesters have asked the government to relax new regulations on managing waterways and ease some of the Covid-19 border controls to allow more seasonal overseas workers into the country as the industry faces acute labor shortages.

They are also demanding the scrapping of what has been dubbed the "Ute tax" - a new government package subsidizing cleaner electric cars while increasing fees on large petrol and diesel vehicles widely used by farmers and tradespeople.

(With inputs from agencies)

Farmers in New Zealand drove tractors in major cities on Friday (July 16) to demand relaxation of environmental policies and climate changeg regulations they say are hurting their businesses.

Farmers in New Zealand drove tractors in major cities on Friday (July 16) to demand relaxation of environmental policies and climate changeg regulations they say are hurting their businesses. Demonstrations that took place nationwide were called "Howl of A Protest". The protests saw farmers on busy motorways with their tractors, pick up trucks and other farm vehicles. This caused traffic jams in major cities including Auckland. Many residents showed solidarity with the farmers by holding placards as the vehicles drove past on the streets. Protesters have asked the government to relax new regulations on managing waterways and ease some of the Covid-19 border controls to allow more seasonal overseas workers into the country as the industry faces acute labor shortages. They are also demanding the scrapping of what has been dubbed the "Ute tax" - a new government package subsidizing cleaner electric cars while increasing fees on large petrol and diesel vehicles widely used by farmers and tradespeople. (With inputs from agencies)

New Zealand farmers protest in tractors, oppose government regulations

We all use Google Maps, it has become inseparable part of our lives. There may be glitches here and there, but we trust the navigation it offers. But what if we told you that Google Maps is under fire for showing a "potentially fatal" route. This route goes up to Ben Nevis peak in the UK.

Scottish Mountaineering charities are lashing out at Google Maps. A trust that looks after upper reaches of Ben Nevis, the highest peak in the UK, has said that when a hiker searches for way to the peak and opts for and option of car, Google Maps suggests the nearest car park from the peak and recommends walking after that.

It is this distance to be covered by walking that has drawn the ire of mountaineering associations. Safety advisers have been quoted in media reports as saying that this path is treacherous, too steep and very hard to follow even when the visibility is good. Add a little rain and low clouds, and this path become "potentially fatal"

The charities and associations have attempted to contact Google, but they have not received any answer.

We all use Google Maps, it has become inseparable part of our lives. There may be glitches here and there, but we trust the navigation it offers. But what if we told you that Google Maps is under fire for showing a "potentially fatal" route.

We all use Google Maps, it has become inseparable part of our lives. There may be glitches here and there, but we trust the navigation it offers. But what if we told you that Google Maps is under fire for showing a "potentially fatal" route. This route goes up to Ben Nevis peak in the UK. Scottish Mountaineering charities are lashing out at Google Maps. A trust that looks after upper reaches of Ben Nevis, the highest peak in the UK, has said that when a hiker searches for way to the peak and opts for and option of car, Google Maps suggests the nearest car park from the peak and recommends walking after that. It is this distance to be covered by walking that has drawn the ire of mountaineering associations. Safety advisers have been quoted in media reports as saying that this path is treacherous, too steep and very hard to follow even when the visibility is good. Add a little rain and low clouds, and this path become "potentially fatal" The charities and associations have attempted to contact Google, but they have not received any answer.

Google Maps criticised for showing 'fatal' route to Ben Nevis peak

WhatsApp, the hugely popular instant messaging app, has announced that it is testing new capability that will free its users from smartphones.

Currently, users can run their WhatsApp account via other devices (like desktops) but the user needs to be connected to internet via smartphone on which respective WhatsApp account is installed. The phone cannot be switched off and in case of network loss, the app does not work simultaneously on other devices.

The new capabilities appear to be aimed at decreasing users' dependence on smartphones in order to run Facebook-owned WhatsApp on other devices.

In a blog post on Wednesday, Facebook engineers said the new feature would allow for the hugely popular service be used on multiple "non-phone" devices without needing to connect to the smartphone app.&nbsp;

"The new WhatsApp multi-device architecture removes these hurdles" by no longer requiring a smartphone to perform every operation, the company said.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/watch-now-use-your-bodys-energy-to-charge-smartphones-and-watches-398373">Watch: Now use your body's energy to charge smartphones and watches</a>

The new capability will be expanded more broadly as it is refined, Facebook added.

It also made assurances that WhatsApp's security measures will still work under the new system.&nbsp;

"Each companion device will connect to your WhatsApp independently while maintaining the same level of privacy and security through end-to-end encryption that people who use WhatsApp have come to expect."

(With inputs from agencies)

WhatsApp, the hugely popular instant messaging app, has announced that it is testing new capability that will free its users from smartphones. Currently, users can run their WhatsApp account via other devices (like desktops) but the user needs to be connected to internet via smartphone on which respective WhatsApp account is installed.

WhatsApp, the hugely popular instant messaging app, has announced that it is testing new capability that will free its users from smartphones. Currently, users can run their WhatsApp account via other devices (like desktops) but the user needs to be connected to internet via smartphone on which respective WhatsApp account is installed. The phone cannot be switched off and in case of network loss, the app does not work simultaneously on other devices. The new capabilities appear to be aimed at decreasing users' dependence on smartphones in order to run Facebook-owned WhatsApp on other devices. In a blog post on Wednesday, Facebook engineers said the new feature would allow for the hugely popular service be used on multiple "non-phone" devices without needing to connect to the smartphone app. "The new WhatsApp multi-device architecture removes these hurdles" by no longer requiring a smartphone to perform every operation, the company said. Also Read | Watch: Now use your body's energy to charge smartphones and watches The new capability will be expanded more broadly as it is refined, Facebook added. It also made assurances that WhatsApp's security measures will still work under the new system. "Each companion device will connect to your WhatsApp independently while maintaining the same level of privacy and security through end-to-end encryption that people who use WhatsApp have come to expect." (With inputs from agencies)

WhatsApp tests function to allow users to log in without linking to smartphones

Powerful photos by Danish Siddiqui, Indian journalist killed in Afghanistan

Facebook said on Thursday that it disrupted Iran-based spying operation that targetted aerospace and defence workers in the US and Europe.&nbsp;

As per head of cyber espionage investigations Mike Dvilyanski, fake accounts posing as company job recruiters or employees were used to dupe targets.

"This effort was highly targeted," Dvilyanski said in a telephone briefing.

"It is hard for us to know how successful this campaign was, but it had all the hallmarks of a well-resourced operation."

A company named Mahak Rayan Afraz tech company in Tehran made some of the malicious code used in the cyber spying campaign. The company has ties to Islamic Revolutionary Guard corps, according to Dvilyanski

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-not-ready-for-nuclear-talks-until-president-elect-ebrahim-raisi-takes-over-398123">Iran not ready for nuclear talks until President-elect Ebrahim Raisi takes over</a>

Facebook took down 200 accounts it said where used to dupe defense or aerospace industry workers into connecting outside the social network, say by email or at bogus job websites.

The group referred to as "Tortoiseshell" had focused its activities in the Middle East until last year, when it took aim primarily at the United States, according to Dvilyanski.

"This group used various malicious tactics to identify its targets and infect their devices with malware to enable espionage," said Facebook director of threat disruption David Agranovich.

"Our platform was one of the elements of the much broader cross-platform cyber-espionage operation, and its activity on Facebook manifested primarily in social engineering and driving people off-platform."

Malware slipped onto devices of victims was designed to glean information including log-in credentials to email or social media, according to Dvilyanski.

Facebook said it appeared fewer than 200 users may have fallen for the ruse, and that those people have been notified of the deception.

Facebook also blocked some of the booby-trapped website links from being shared at the social network, according to executives.

The US tech giant added that it shared findings with internet industry peers and law enforcement.

"We were only part of this campaign, and we are taking action on our platform," Dvilyanski said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Facebook said on Thursday that it disrupted Iran-based spying operation that targetted aerospace and defence workers in the US and Europe. As per head of cyber espionage investigations Mike Dvilyanski, fake accounts posing as company job recruiters or employees were used to dupe targets.

Facebook said on Thursday that it disrupted Iran-based spying operation that targetted aerospace and defence workers in the US and Europe. As per head of cyber espionage investigations Mike Dvilyanski, fake accounts posing as company job recruiters or employees were used to dupe targets. "This effort was highly targeted," Dvilyanski said in a telephone briefing. "It is hard for us to know how successful this campaign was, but it had all the hallmarks of a well-resourced operation." A company named Mahak Rayan Afraz tech company in Tehran made some of the malicious code used in the cyber spying campaign. The company has ties to Islamic Revolutionary Guard corps, according to Dvilyanski Also Read | Iran not ready for nuclear talks until President-elect Ebrahim Raisi takes over Facebook took down 200 accounts it said where used to dupe defense or aerospace industry workers into connecting outside the social network, say by email or at bogus job websites. The group referred to as "Tortoiseshell" had focused its activities in the Middle East until last year, when it took aim primarily at the United States, according to Dvilyanski. "This group used various malicious tactics to identify its targets and infect their devices with malware to enable espionage," said Facebook director of threat disruption David Agranovich. "Our platform was one of the elements of the much broader cross-platform cyber-espionage operation, and its activity on Facebook manifested primarily in social engineering and driving people off-platform." Malware slipped onto devices of victims was designed to glean information including log-in credentials to email or social media, according to Dvilyanski. Facebook said it appeared fewer than 200 users may have fallen for the ruse, and that those people have been notified of the deception. Facebook also blocked some of the booby-trapped website links from being shared at the social network, according to executives. The US tech giant added that it shared findings with internet industry peers and law enforcement. "We were only part of this campaign, and we are taking action on our platform," Dvilyanski said. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran-based spies targetted US, European defence workers, says Facebook

A Turkish coastguard vessel on Friday fired warning shots at a Cyprus police boat. The boat was on patrol for undocumented migrants, said Cypriot media.

The incident came amid high tensions on the island as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan prepares to visit the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north next week to mark the anniversary of Turkey's 1974 invasion.

The Cypriot vessel spotted the Turkish coastguard some 11 nautical miles from the small fishing port of Kato Pyrgos, just west of the UN-patrolled armistice line separating government-held territory from the breakaway north, the Cyprus News Agency reported.

Christos Andreou, spokesman for Cyprus police told CNA that coastguard cutter was inside Cyprus' territorial waters. The incident took place at 0030 GMT, he said.

He further said that the boat was on regular patrol to check irregular migrants. The area is a dropping-off point for migrants coming from Turkey.

"The patrol boat’s three-member crew seeing the intentions of the Turkish coastguard tried to avoid any incident and headed toward the fishing shelter at Kato Pyrgos," he said.

"At a distance of four nautical miles from the shelter, the marine police boat received warning shots from the Turkish coastguard.

"Then, being a short distance from the shores, the Turkish coastguard left for the occupied territories" (of northern Cyprus), he said.

Tensions are high ahead of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to the island next week. Greek Cypriots see this tour as provocative one. Erdogan will visit abandoned beach resort of Varosha, which was emptied of its Greek Cypriot residents by the Turkish invasion.

Cyprus police have stepped up both land and sea patrols since the government declared a "state of emergency" in May following an influx of Syrian migrants that has flooded its reception centres.

(With inouts from agencies)

A Turkish coastguard vessel on Friday fired warning shots at a Cyprus police boat. The boat was on patrol for undocumented migrants, said Cypriot media. The incident came amid high tensions on the island as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan prepares to visit the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north next week to mark the anniversary of Turkey's 1974 invasion.

A Turkish coastguard vessel on Friday fired warning shots at a Cyprus police boat. The boat was on patrol for undocumented migrants, said Cypriot media. The incident came amid high tensions on the island as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan prepares to visit the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north next week to mark the anniversary of Turkey's 1974 invasion. The Cypriot vessel spotted the Turkish coastguard some 11 nautical miles from the small fishing port of Kato Pyrgos, just west of the UN-patrolled armistice line separating government-held territory from the breakaway north, the Cyprus News Agency reported. Christos Andreou, spokesman for Cyprus police told CNA that coastguard cutter was inside Cyprus' territorial waters. The incident took place at 0030 GMT, he said. He further said that the boat was on regular patrol to check irregular migrants. The area is a dropping-off point for migrants coming from Turkey. "The patrol boat’s three-member crew seeing the intentions of the Turkish coastguard tried to avoid any incident and headed toward the fishing shelter at Kato Pyrgos," he said. "At a distance of four nautical miles from the shelter, the marine police boat received warning shots from the Turkish coastguard. "Then, being a short distance from the shores, the Turkish coastguard left for the occupied territories" (of northern Cyprus), he said. Tensions are high ahead of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to the island next week. Greek Cypriots see this tour as provocative one. Erdogan will visit abandoned beach resort of Varosha, which was emptied of its Greek Cypriot residents by the Turkish invasion. Cyprus police have stepped up both land and sea patrols since the government declared a "state of emergency" in May following an influx of Syrian migrants that has flooded its reception centres. (With inouts from agencies)

Turkish coastguard fires warning shot at Cyprus police ship

Thousands of flamingoes were found dead in drone footage captured above the dry bed of Turkey's Lake Tuz. This has alarmed environmentalists and has prompted authorities to investigate the cause.

The drone footage from the area was captured on Wednesday (July 14). The footage shows hundreds of flaminglets partly buried in dried parts of Lake Tuz. Lake Tuz is in Turkey's Konya province.

Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli told reporters that initial analysis showed the Flamingoes were not poisoned.

Environmentalists say that agricultural irrigation practices in the region along with Climate Change and drought caused the deaths.

As per a report published by Turkish environmental foundation TEMA in 2020, the annual water reserve in central province of Konya's close basin was 4.5 billion cubic metres, while the consumption reached 6.5 billion cubic metres. Environmentalist and wildlife photographer Fahri Tunc said the canal that was built to deliver water to Lake Tuz is redirected for agricultural irrigation.

"This is the irrigation canal that comes from Konya. It needs to deliver water to Lake Tuz. As you can see, the water is not coming through. It stopped," Tunc said.

Statistics show that 5000-10,000 flaminglets are born in Lake Tuz every year.

Tunc said, this year, only 5,000 eggs have hatched and most of the birds died while seeking water on the surface of partially dried lake.

President of Doga (Nature) Association, Dicle Tuba Kilic said the only way to prevent mass flamingo deaths is to change the agricultural irrigation methods in region.

Pakdemirli said the deaths are not related to the irrigation practices in the region.

"I want to stress that there is no direct or indirect connection between this incident and the wells in the area or the agricultural irrigation," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Thousands of flamingoes were found dead in drone footage captured above the dry bed of Turkey's Lake Tuz. This has alarmed environmentalists and has prompted authorities to investigate the cause.

Thousands of flamingoes were found dead in drone footage captured above the dry bed of Turkey's Lake Tuz. This has alarmed environmentalists and has prompted authorities to investigate the cause. The drone footage from the area was captured on Wednesday (July 14). The footage shows hundreds of flaminglets partly buried in dried parts of Lake Tuz. Lake Tuz is in Turkey's Konya province. Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli told reporters that initial analysis showed the Flamingoes were not poisoned. Environmentalists say that agricultural irrigation practices in the region along with Climate Change and drought caused the deaths. As per a report published by Turkish environmental foundation TEMA in 2020, the annual water reserve in central province of Konya's close basin was 4.5 billion cubic metres, while the consumption reached 6.5 billion cubic metres. Environmentalist and wildlife photographer Fahri Tunc said the canal that was built to deliver water to Lake Tuz is redirected for agricultural irrigation. "This is the irrigation canal that comes from Konya. It needs to deliver water to Lake Tuz. As you can see, the water is not coming through. It stopped," Tunc said. Statistics show that 5000-10,000 flaminglets are born in Lake Tuz every year. Tunc said, this year, only 5,000 eggs have hatched and most of the birds died while seeking water on the surface of partially dried lake. President of Doga (Nature) Association, Dicle Tuba Kilic said the only way to prevent mass flamingo deaths is to change the agricultural irrigation methods in region. Pakdemirli said the deaths are not related to the irrigation practices in the region. "I want to stress that there is no direct or indirect connection between this incident and the wells in the area or the agricultural irrigation," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Turkey: Drone footage shows thousands of dead flamingoes, investigation on

The Chinese government rarely passes up a chance to accuse the United States of military adventurism and hegemony. In the case of Afghanistan, though, it has changed its tone, warning that Washington now bears the responsibility for the hasty end to its two-decade war there.

“The United States, which created the Afghan issue in the first place, should act responsibly to ensure a smooth transition in Afghanistan,” China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, said this month at a forum in Beijing. “It should not simply shift the burden onto others and withdraw from the country with the mess left behind unattended.”

While China has not called on President Joe Biden to reverse the military withdrawal he ordered, statements by senior officials made it clear that they would blame the United States for any insecurity that spreads in the region.

China’s leader, Xi Jinping, and President Vladimir Putin of Russia — neither of them close friends of the U.S. president — raised concerns about the withdrawal in a telephone call June 29, citing “the increasingly complicated and severe security situation,” according to Xinhua, the state news agency.

An explosion and vehicle crash that killed nine Chinese workers in Pakistan on Wednesday has punctuated China’s fears of regional instability in the wake of the final U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan and the chaos that is now spreading across the country.

China was quick to describe the explosion as an act of terrorism. Pakistan later described it as an accident, but the details remain murky, and China has previously found itself the target of threats from those opposed to its growing economic and diplomatic influence in the region.

Pakistan’s information minister, Fawad Chaudhry, said Thursday that investigators had found traces of explosives, presumably on the bus carrying the Chinese workers.

“Terrorism cannot be ruled out,” he wrote on Twitter.

“They’re certainly feeling nervous,” said Barnett Rubin, a former State Department official and U.N. adviser on Afghanistan who is a senior fellow at New York University’s Center on International Cooperation.

With only a residual military contingent left to protect the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, the Taliban have been steadily expanding their political control as Afghan government forces crumble or retreat. This month, Taliban forces seized Badakhshan, the province that reaches the mountainous Chinese border through the Wakhan Corridor.

While that narrow territory poses little direct security threat, China fears that the breakdown of order in Afghanistan could spill out of the country to other neighbors, including Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Pakistan.

Wang is traveling through Central Asia this week, with the Afghan situation high on the agenda.

“We don’t want to see a turbulent country around us that becomes such a soil for terrorist activities,” said Li Wei, an analyst at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, a research organization in Beijing affiliated with the Ministry of State Security.

The Taliban, when they governed Afghanistan before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, gave haven to some Uyghur fighters resisting Chinese rule in Xinjiang, the predominantly Muslim province in western China that the fighters call East Turkestan.

Twenty-two of those fighters ended up in U.S. custody in the prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, only to be released slowly to several other countries, including Albania, Slovakia, Bermuda and Palau. Uyghur militants have also fought in Syria’s civil war, and there are reports that some have returned to Afghanistan.

“If there’s more disorder in Afghanistan, the Uyghurs could get a foothold again, or a bigger one,” Rubin said.

After the Sept. 11 attacks, the United States designated the East Turkestan Islamic Movement as a terrorist organization, in part to cultivate China’s support for U.S. efforts in the “war on terror.” The Trump administration revoked the designation last year, saying that there was no evidence that the group continued to carry out attacks. China has cited the threat of Uyghur extremism as a reason for its mass detention camps in Xinjiang.

According to the United Nations, the Uyghur group once maintained links to al-Qaida and organized attacks on targets inside and outside of China, including ones in Xinjiang that killed 140 people in 1998.

Liu Yunfeng, director of the Counter-Terrorism Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, said this week at a news conference that while there had been no major terrorist attack in China in the past four years, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement continued to promote terrorism from abroad and train fighters “to sneak into our territory.”

“We still need to maintain a high degree of vigilance,” he said, according to a transcript posted by the ministry.

With the U.S. withdrawal on the horizon, China has sought to keep channels open to both the Taliban and Afghan forces, appealing for a peaceful resolution to decades of conflict that predated U.S. intervention. It has been a delicate diplomatic balance.

China has praised the current Afghan government, including what it says are efforts to fight the East Turkestan militants. It also played host to a delegation of Taliban leaders in 2019. While China has said little about the nature of its discussions with the group, it has muted its criticism as the U.S.-led military presence winds down.

In recent statements, Taliban representatives have also sought to assuage China’s concerns about its past support for enemies of Chinese rule, saying a restored Taliban government would pose no threat to the country. In fact, it would welcome Chinese investments.

As the Taliban have steadily gained ground, China has left its diplomatic options open. The Global Times, a Communist Party newspaper that generally reflects the government’s hawkish side, suggested this week that fears about the collapse of the current Afghan government were overstated.

“With the evolving Afghanistan situation, the Taliban is quietly transforming itself to improve its international image, easing the concerns of and befriending neighboring countries,” the newspaper wrote Tuesday.

Such views also reflect China’s close relationship with Pakistan, which provided support for the Taliban leadership during the long U.S. involvement in Afghanistan.

After Chinese officials initially denounced Wednesday’s deaths in Pakistan as a terrorist attack, they tempered their remarks when the Pakistani Foreign Ministry released a statement saying that the explosion that sent a truck tumbling into a ravine was caused by a mechanical malfunction.

Exactly what happened remains unclear, however. At least two Pakistani paramilitary soldiers and two other civilians died, while more than 40 people were injured. It was not clear if the soldiers were guarding the workers as they traveled to a Chinese-built hydroelectric project at Dasu, a city in the country’s rural northwest, about 100 miles from the capital, Islamabad.

China has faced terrorist threats in Pakistan before. In 2018, three suicide attackers stormed the Chinese Consulate in Karachi, killing two police officers and two civilians before being killed themselves. The group that claimed responsibility for that attack, the Baluchistan Liberation Army, attacked a luxury hotel in Gwadar a year later, saying they were targeting Chinese guests.

In April, a different group attacked a hotel in Quetta, the provincial capital of Baluchistan, only moments before China’s ambassador was scheduled to arrive. Although it was not clear if the attackers knew of the ambassador’s arrival, the group that claimed responsibility, the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, said its intended targets were “locals and foreigners” staying at the hotel.

After speaking with Pakistan’s foreign minister about the explosion Wednesday, Wang, the foreign minister, called for greater security measures for Chinese construction projects in Pakistan, many of them being built under China’s “belt and road” initiative.

Chinese officials have offered to extend those projects to Afghanistan but have made little progress. Previous Chinese projects there failed to live up to expectations, most prominently a copper mine concession that Chinese companies acquired in 2007.

“If it is a terrorist attack,” Wang said of the episode Wednesday, “the perpetrators must be arrested immediately, and the perpetrators must be severely punished.”

The Chinese government rarely passes up a chance to accuse the United States of military adventurism and hegemony. In the case of Afghanistan, though, it has changed its tone, warning that Washington now bears the responsibility for the hasty end to its two-decade war there.

The Chinese government rarely passes up a chance to accuse the United States of military adventurism and hegemony. In the case of Afghanistan, though, it has changed its tone, warning that Washington now bears the responsibility for the hasty end to its two-decade war there. “The United States, which created the Afghan issue in the first place, should act responsibly to ensure a smooth transition in Afghanistan,” China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, said this month at a forum in Beijing. “It should not simply shift the burden onto others and withdraw from the country with the mess left behind unattended.” While China has not called on President Joe Biden to reverse the military withdrawal he ordered, statements by senior officials made it clear that they would blame the United States for any insecurity that spreads in the region. China’s leader, Xi Jinping, and President Vladimir Putin of Russia — neither of them close friends of the U.S. president — raised concerns about the withdrawal in a telephone call June 29, citing “the increasingly complicated and severe security situation,” according to Xinhua, the state news agency. An explosion and vehicle crash that killed nine Chinese workers in Pakistan on Wednesday has punctuated China’s fears of regional instability in the wake of the final U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan and the chaos that is now spreading across the country. China was quick to describe the explosion as an act of terrorism. Pakistan later described it as an accident, but the details remain murky, and China has previously found itself the target of threats from those opposed to its growing economic and diplomatic influence in the region. Pakistan’s information minister, Fawad Chaudhry, said Thursday that investigators had found traces of explosives, presumably on the bus carrying the Chinese workers. “Terrorism cannot be ruled out,” he wrote on Twitter. “They’re certainly feeling nervous,” said Barnett Rubin, a former State Department official and U.N. adviser on Afghanistan who is a senior fellow at New York University’s Center on International Cooperation. With only a residual military contingent left to protect the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, the Taliban have been steadily expanding their political control as Afghan government forces crumble or retreat. This month, Taliban forces seized Badakhshan, the province that reaches the mountainous Chinese border through the Wakhan Corridor. While that narrow territory poses little direct security threat, China fears that the breakdown of order in Afghanistan could spill out of the country to other neighbors, including Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Pakistan. Wang is traveling through Central Asia this week, with the Afghan situation high on the agenda. “We don’t want to see a turbulent country around us that becomes such a soil for terrorist activities,” said Li Wei, an analyst at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, a research organization in Beijing affiliated with the Ministry of State Security. The Taliban, when they governed Afghanistan before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, gave haven to some Uyghur fighters resisting Chinese rule in Xinjiang, the predominantly Muslim province in western China that the fighters call East Turkestan. Twenty-two of those fighters ended up in U.S. custody in the prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, only to be released slowly to several other countries, including Albania, Slovakia, Bermuda and Palau. Uyghur militants have also fought in Syria’s civil war, and there are reports that some have returned to Afghanistan. “If there’s more disorder in Afghanistan, the Uyghurs could get a foothold again, or a bigger one,” Rubin said. After the Sept. 11 attacks, the United States designated the East Turkestan Islamic Movement as a terrorist organization, in part to cultivate China’s support for U.S. efforts in the “war on terror.” The Trump administration revoked the designation last year, saying that there was no evidence that the group continued to carry out attacks. China has cited the threat of Uyghur extremism as a reason for its mass detention camps in Xinjiang. According to the United Nations, the Uyghur group once maintained links to al-Qaida and organized attacks on targets inside and outside of China, including ones in Xinjiang that killed 140 people in 1998. Liu Yunfeng, director of the Counter-Terrorism Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, said this week at a news conference that while there had been no major terrorist attack in China in the past four years, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement continued to promote terrorism from abroad and train fighters “to sneak into our territory.” “We still need to maintain a high degree of vigilance,” he said, according to a transcript posted by the ministry. With the U.S. withdrawal on the horizon, China has sought to keep channels open to both the Taliban and Afghan forces, appealing for a peaceful resolution to decades of conflict that predated U.S. intervention. It has been a delicate diplomatic balance. China has praised the current Afghan government, including what it says are efforts to fight the East Turkestan militants. It also played host to a delegation of Taliban leaders in 2019. While China has said little about the nature of its discussions with the group, it has muted its criticism as the U.S.-led military presence winds down. In recent statements, Taliban representatives have also sought to assuage China’s concerns about its past support for enemies of Chinese rule, saying a restored Taliban government would pose no threat to the country. In fact, it would welcome Chinese investments. As the Taliban have steadily gained ground, China has left its diplomatic options open. The Global Times, a Communist Party newspaper that generally reflects the government’s hawkish side, suggested this week that fears about the collapse of the current Afghan government were overstated. “With the evolving Afghanistan situation, the Taliban is quietly transforming itself to improve its international image, easing the concerns of and befriending neighboring countries,” the newspaper wrote Tuesday. Such views also reflect China’s close relationship with Pakistan, which provided support for the Taliban leadership during the long U.S. involvement in Afghanistan. After Chinese officials initially denounced Wednesday’s deaths in Pakistan as a terrorist attack, they tempered their remarks when the Pakistani Foreign Ministry released a statement saying that the explosion that sent a truck tumbling into a ravine was caused by a mechanical malfunction. Exactly what happened remains unclear, however. At least two Pakistani paramilitary soldiers and two other civilians died, while more than 40 people were injured. It was not clear if the soldiers were guarding the workers as they traveled to a Chinese-built hydroelectric project at Dasu, a city in the country’s rural northwest, about 100 miles from the capital, Islamabad. China has faced terrorist threats in Pakistan before. In 2018, three suicide attackers stormed the Chinese Consulate in Karachi, killing two police officers and two civilians before being killed themselves. The group that claimed responsibility for that attack, the Baluchistan Liberation Army, attacked a luxury hotel in Gwadar a year later, saying they were targeting Chinese guests. In April, a different group attacked a hotel in Quetta, the provincial capital of Baluchistan, only moments before China’s ambassador was scheduled to arrive. Although it was not clear if the attackers knew of the ambassador’s arrival, the group that claimed responsibility, the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, said its intended targets were “locals and foreigners” staying at the hotel. After speaking with Pakistan’s foreign minister about the explosion Wednesday, Wang, the foreign minister, called for greater security measures for Chinese construction projects in Pakistan, many of them being built under China’s “belt and road” initiative. Chinese officials have offered to extend those projects to Afghanistan but have made little progress. Previous Chinese projects there failed to live up to expectations, most prominently a copper mine concession that Chinese companies acquired in 2007. “If it is a terrorist attack,” Wang said of the episode Wednesday, “the perpetrators must be arrested immediately, and the perpetrators must be severely punished.”

China criticised the Afghan war. Now it worries about withdrawal

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Manas Joshi

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